Our friendly enemy!

THE COMPUTER.

The computer is a tool that aids the human brain in completing tasks. It can accept a wider range of data without misplacing any, process more data into information in less time and still retains a high level of accuracy. It is a tool that has some severe adverse effects on its users despite its wide range of useful applications. Recent research has it that the computer have generated a new breed of lethal diseases. As the computer is updated, the diseases are "updated". In this article different advantages and disadvantages of computer usage will be outlined and properly explained.

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ADVANTAGES OF USING COMPUTERS

1. Flash cards have been replaced by computers when it comes to reading and writing. A faster means of learning (this is because of the audio-visual aspect of a computer). Mistakes could often be made with flash cards when it comes to archiving and retrieving. But in the case of a computer, archiving is done on the hard disk and cannot be misplaced.
2. Computers increase the confidence of individuals. As an individual uses the computer more, his literacy increases. As his literacy increases, he becomes smarter. As an individual becomes smarter, he becomes more confident and can address an audience because he is confident in the power he has acquired via the knowledge computers.
3. Mastery of computer skills gives the individual a wider range of skill. Knowledge of computer skills enables the individual to fit into some jobs perfectly. Having this skill is also a life time investment. When every other job fails, a basic IT job can always be fallen back on.

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DISADVANTAGES OF USING COMPUTERS

1. It is addictive. Using computers can open an individuals eye to more fascinating things than those he has always seen. Variety of programs, different audio-visual outputs and most especially, the media. Most computer (internet) literates spend hours on the world wide web looking for information. Sometimes their ambitions are ambiguous.
2. Parents don't spend more time with their children. Since computers have taken over most of their learning, they allow the computers to do all the upbringing. Computers are dummies and they cannot do what they are not programmed to do. I am yet to see a computer that is programmed to take care of a child's upbringing; completely teaching the child good morales. This makes the children feel they are not loved and when they have pondered on this thought for years, they can constitute a nuisance to the society.
3. Some health issues also are connected with computer usage. The radiation from the monitor affects the eye, increasing the volume of the speakers to a ridiculous level (especially when the individual is using headphones) damages the ear drums. Outdated computer parts are not eco-friendly. Elements in the motherboard (using it as an example) are radioactive and if disposed wrongly, the radiation can be harmful to the skin. Bending over on PCs (as a result of being addicted to it) can truncate or skeletal structure. It causes hunchback in humans.

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All these are the 'goods' and 'bads' of using computers; our friendly enemy!